Bicycle thread

When you change gearing even only a bit, does it throw off you rhythm? I just got a new bike and the ratios are slightly different, now it seems like I am never in the right gear. This would be mountain biking over technical terrain, at least for me.

Weird! Not just you, I am getting the same thing? What did you do?

All of the shop talk is in the sports bicycle thread.

Moving mid fats

I'm seeing blank pages too.

Looks like some of it got moved from Sports to Shiny Things and that broke the matrix.

Better place for this thread IS sports, but what do I know?!

M

Wrong t

new road rider here .... anyone using aerobars on a touring bike ???


PB

My commuter. Older Trek 7.3. Really an excellent bike. 700x38 tires. The 38mm tires make it ride more smoothly, not get caught in cracks (avoiding crashes).

I have less than $200 into this total bike.


Bike: Bought on eBay for $165 shipped, as it was a shoddy ad in auction format.
Seatpost: Thudbuster found used for $25. Works really well.
Handlebar stem: Adjustable, like it though it looks weird. Bought on NashBar.com for like $8.
Pedals: Kore plastic platform pedals. These are big and comfortable, but don't cut you when they hit your leg.
Seat: Some older Specialized seat, which I find to be very high quality for a lot cost.
Handlebars: NashBar.com mustache bars, bought for like $12 like them a lot. Been too busy to put grip tape on them.
Tires: 700cx38 (sooo recommend the widest possible tire for bump absorption and traction).
Brake levers: Used Dura-Ace carbon fiber bought on eBay for $20. Super comfortable and just something funky.
Bottle holders: I recommend the 45-degree opening type (which I have one of the two mounted). Allows easy bottle placement while riding, they do not fight you as much.
Tubes: BUY GOOD TUBES, like Slime(R) from eBay for a few dollars more. I have about 1/10 the flats using better-quality tubes like Slime (buy on eBay save a lot), as opposed to the junk sold at local bicycle shops.

It's been done. Several TransAm riders have used them and I'm considering it. The varied arm position would be the big attraction but I bet the tucked profile would be helpful in a headwind. However, a friend who rides much more than I do, still races, and has already done his TransAm laughs at this idea. I got a set of Profile Airstryke bars for free so if they don't help I can chuck them at the first trashcan and continue my ride.

Not my bike but a similar setup and the same aero bar:

I am riding an old Schwinn Voyageur and if I can score a cheap set or rustle a set out of a trash bin I think I am going to give it a try

PB

Single-speed fixed-gear that I just bought.

No shifting, no freewheeling - only simplicity, pain and danger.

I find myself riding my fixie when I have limited time.

...that's pretty often during from fall to spring

M

Yeah, keep an eye out and be patient. They come once in a while for CHEAP.

Check at your local bike co-op or at local shops for take-offs, and you can always try a WTB ad on Craigslist. Be sure to include a photo in your ad so the sellers know what you want. If you are on any bike forum (like bikeforums.net) keep on eye on the posts from guys who buy bikes and post photos showing aero bars and post offering to buy the bars from them. That's how I got mine for just the price of postage. Cheap for exactly what I wanted.

we have a pretty robust bike community in Roanoke .... me being a MTB Rails to Trails rider I am just easing my way into the Roadie collective One guy the other day riding a Carbon whatever sort of scoffed at the 26 year old bike I am riding and tried to leave me behind .... about 2 miles later he looked back and I was right there with him so he took a side road

There are some really cool steel bikes to be found for decent prices and we have a local guy that will fix and tune them up at a reasonable $60 - $100 plus parts.


PB

Learned that lesson long ago, never judge a rider by whatever bike he is on.

When I lived in Tampa there was a guy who'd occasionally join the weekend club (road) ride… on a mt bike, with knobbies, towing his kid in a trailer, who would casually blow by any but the fastest riders.

I am in this for the ride and health aspect but touring interests me since I live 20 min from the BRP .... sections of that are intimidating to say the least for someone that has only climbed a few hundred feet at a time. I will work my way up to trying some of the mid grade climbs and I am getting some coaching which I never in a million years would have thought would pay off like it has.


PB